Resident frustrated over trench in front of his property

Disgruntled Dersley resident Jaques Hazelhurst is at his wits end regarding the unfinished work the metro has conducted outside his yard.

“The metro arrived at his property on Cedar Avenue a month ago saying they were fixing an electrical issue. They told me they are here to fix cables in front of the house.”

Much to his dismay, they began the work but never finished, leaving stripped live wires and a trench big and wide enough to fit an adult.

“It’s very dangerous. I have small children in the house so either them or any other child passing by could fall in and get hurt.”

To add to his list of frustrations, Hazelhurst says the exposed wires have cost him his appliances.

“The rainwater keeps pouring into the hole, making my entire property’s wiring short circuit. I have lost all my appliances to this problem.”

He adds that his new tenants can’t occupy the property because of this problem.

“I have tenants moving in at the end of the month, but they won’t move in with all the power surges.”

Hazelhurst even reached out to the councillor of his ward, Dean Stone, and nothing has been done to date.

“I reported the matter to the department but I am yet to receive a response, unfortunately.

“I can’t understand the reason for this, are they may be waiting for a part that they’ve ordered that they need to put in? It is unusual for the energy department to leave a trench open for this long,” says Stone.

The CoE confirmed the energy department opened a trench to repair a faulty cable.

“While digging the trench, a water pipe was damaged. The incident was escalated to the water department to repair. Due to wet weather, the water department is waiting for the trench to dry up before they close the open road,” said metro spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

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